食べ歩く
たべあるく
godan verb
to eat one's way around; to visit various eateries
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 食べ歩く | 食べ歩かない |
| Present polite | 食べ歩きます | 食べ歩きません |
| Past | 食べ歩いた | 食べ歩かなかった |
| Past polite | 食べ歩きました | 食べ歩きませんでした |
| て form | 食べ歩いて | 食べ歩かなくて |
| ている present | 食べ歩いている | 食べ歩いていない |
| ている polite | 食べ歩いています | 食べ歩いていません |
| ている past | 食べ歩いていた | 食べ歩いていなかった |
| ている past polite | 食べ歩いていました | 食べ歩いていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 食べ歩けば | 食べ歩かなければ |
| Conditional たら | 食べ歩いたら | 食べ歩かなかったら |
| Volitional | 食べ歩こう | — |
| Volitional polite | 食べ歩きましょう | — |
| Potential | 食べ歩ける | 食べ歩けない |
| Passive | 食べ歩かれる | 食べ歩かれない |
| Causative | 食べ歩かせる | 食べ歩かせない |
| Imperative | 食べ歩け | 食べ歩くな |
1.
to eat one's way around; to try food at various places
To visit multiple restaurants, food stalls, or eating establishments to sample their food, often as a leisure activity or culinary exploration.
ラーメンを食べ歩く。
To eat ramen at various places.
休日は町のカフェを食べ歩くのが趣味だ。
My hobby is visiting different cafes around town on my days off.
京都の名店を食べ歩いて、お気に入りの店を見つけた。
I ate my way around the famous restaurants of Kyoto and found a favorite.
2.
to eat while walking; to snack on the go
To eat food while walking along a street, especially at tourist spots or food markets.
商店街で食べ歩きする。
To eat while walking through the shopping street.
屋台の食べ歩きが楽しい。
Eating at the street stalls while walking around is fun.
浅草では仲見世通りで食べ歩きを楽しむ観光客が多い。
In Asakusa, many tourists enjoy eating their way along Nakamise Street.
Compound verb of 食べる (to eat) + 歩く (to walk). The noun form 食べ歩き is extremely common and popular in Japanese food culture.
USAGE:
The noun form 食べ歩き is used more frequently than the verb form and appears in travel guides, food blogs, and TV programs. Sense 1 (食べ歩き as visiting multiple eateries) is a popular leisure activity in Japan, with dedicated TV shows, books, and online guides. Sense 2 (eating while walking) is common at tourist areas and festivals, though some traditional areas consider it poor manners.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 食べ歩きグルメ — street food, food to eat while walking
- 食べ歩きマップ — food tour map
- ラーメンの食べ歩き — ramen restaurant hopping
- 食べ歩きスポット — food tour spot
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 飲み歩く — to drink one's way around, bar-hopping
- はしご — hopping between multiple bars/restaurants (informal)
- 食べ比べ — taste comparison, trying the same dish at different places